Page 110 of Girl Anonymous

Saint Rees observed and leaned close. “The neighbors were glad to let us place guards in their homes.”

She nodded, then glanced at the people who attended and the guards who lurked around the perimeter.

Truth be told, she still suspected Connor, although why would he have waited so long to kill her and Dante and take control?

The answer was easy enough. Because on the dais, he could make an unforgettable exhibition of Dante’s assassination and her own bloody death, proclaim himself victor, vanquisher of the final Daire, and head of the Arundel crime family.

In all the history of all the brides that had ever walked down an aisle, had one ever been as watchful and wary as she?

Maarja and Saint Rees reached the base of the dais. As she handed off her bouquet to Alex, she met her sister’s gaze. Somehow she’d thought Alex would be mirthful, amused to see Maarja marrying after so many years of celibacy. Instead she smiled with tears in her eyes and nodded.

Wow. Approval from Alex. Maarja never expected that.

Dante stretched out his hand and Saint Rees placed her hand in his.

Right. Traditional.

Octavia gestured them up onto the first low step. They’d agreed that would be best so everyone could see Octavia over Dante’s broad shoulders.

Dante had been unable to convince her she didn’t want to wear her wizard’s costume, so he’d had it copied in rich black and gold velvet with a ruff that lent her an imposing and queenly presence. From somewhere he’d procured a heavy scepter that appeared to be solid gold with a jewel at the end, which looked like a cabochon ruby.

Maarja hoped it wasn’t actual gold and ruby, and hoped more her visually impaired mother wouldn’t have to try to bash someone over the head with it. Although by the way Octavia caressedthe scepter in her arms, she appeared to be having pleasant thoughts about the idea.

In her most stern leader-of-the-neighborhood-association voice, Octavia told everyone to silence their phones. Then, when the scrabble to obey had calmed, in her most warm old-hippie tone, she welcomed the bride and groom, their families and friends, the city of Oakland, the whole Bay Area, the state of California, the United States of America, the oceans and countries around it… By the time she got to the whole universe, and invited every tree and stone and creature to witness this happy occasion, Maarja could only imagine what was happening behind her. Among her side of the aisle, most people had known exactly how the ceremony would start. They would be sanguine and no doubt amused at the reactions from the Arundel side of the aisle. Now that she thought about it, for all their criminal activity, the Arundels were a bunch of boring stiff-necked conformists.

She glanced at Dante, expecting to see him still glancing around, seeking the one that would harm them, or maybe looking patient with Octavia, but he watched Mom intently and respectfully. As conformists went, he knew what was important.

Maarja liked that. She liked him. He could be one scary asshole, but this powerful man was more than that. He appreciated her humor, honored her makeshift family, protected all the ones loyal to him, worshipped her body, and freely admitted he loved her.

So when Octavia invited Maarja to share the vows she had prepared, she faced Dante and wondered how he would behave when she made her vows. Would he smile in triumph because he believed she was his? Would he frown because she’d fought him for so long? Would he be tender or gleeful or masterful?

She couldn’t tell what he felt, only that he watched her with such intensity she felt as if she were speaking to his soul.

She spoke clearly. “This morning, very early…you remember—”

His mouth twitched the tiniest bit.

“—I wanted to tell you what was in my heart. I was frightened of so much emotion spilling out of me and…I’ve been a coward. When I was four years old, terror arrived, and I discovered life is brief and uncertain and tonotspeak is to miss an opportunity that might never be given again and leave the words—”

Dante’s focus shifted away from her, behind and over her right-hand shoulder.

“—unspoken.” She immediately comprehended what his sudden attention adjustment ordained, and she both cut her vows short and rushed her words. “I say them now and please listen for one more second.”

He glanced back at her, and nodded curtly.

“I love you.” There. She’d said it! Out loud. In front of everyone.

“I love you, too.” He’d said it out loud in front of everyone, too, as clearly as he’d said it the first time. Now he reached out and pulled her to his side, and as he held her hand, she felt him slip something cool on her ring finger.

She glanced down.

A plain gold band. Of course. Tradition.

Alex would be so disappointed.

She looked up to face—Fedelma.

No longer on her knees praying, if she had ever been. No longer wearing a matronly dress that expressed without words her desire to serve.

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